President Joe Biden meets with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, March 15, 2024 in Washington.
Evan Vucci/AP
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Evan Vucci/AP
President Joe Biden meets with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, March 15, 2024 in Washington.
Evan Vucci/AP
WASHINGTON — The big news this week, President Joe Biden said during a weekend in Washington, was that two candidates had clinched their party’s nomination for president. But one of them was too old, too mentally unfit for the job, he said.
“The other one is me,” Bidden joked.
Criticism of Republican Donald Trump continued to come from the president at the annual Gridiron Club and Foundation dinner, while Biden deflected persistent criticism that his memory is fuzzy and he seems confused, instead highlighting times when Trump , 77, made a mistake. Also.
“Don’t tell him, he thinks he’s running against Barack Obama, that’s what he said,” said Biden, 81, who also joked that he stayed up well after the election. bedtime.
It was the first time Biden attended the dinner during his presidency, and it comes as the 2024 election looms and the rematch between Biden and Trump intensifies. The annual bacchanal, now in its 139th year, dates back to 1885 – the year President Grover Cleveland refused to attend. Since then, every president has come to at least one Gridiron.
Biden quickly turned somber, however, highlighting what he sees as a real threat to democracy if Trump — who continues to falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen — returns to the White House. The speech echoed Biden’s campaign remarks, criticizing Trump and being too lenient toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We are living in an unprecedented moment in democracy,” he said. “An unprecedented moment in history. Democracy and freedom are literally under attack. Putin is on the march in Europe. My predecessor bows to him and says: ‘do what you want.'”
Biden then introduced Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.
“We will not bow down. They will not bow down, and I will not bow down,” he said.
Biden, wearing a white tie as is customary, brought his daughter Ashley.
The dinner has a reputation as an evening of bipartisan merriment and was filled with politicians and a who’s who of Washington, including Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, at least eight other Cabinet members, at least five members of Congress. , five governors and at least five ambassadors. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who is in town for St. Patrick’s Day, was also in attendance.
Harris, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, also spoke at the dinner.
Biden closed the dinner by also speaking about the importance of a free press. While he may not agree with everything the media publishes, he said he understands the need for journalism and said he is still working to repatriate journalists Evan Gershovich and Austin Tice , one detained in Russia, the other disappeared during a reporting trip. in Syria.
“Good journalism is a mirror for society,” he said. “We need you.”
Biden and Harris were seated at the head table with other administration officials and foreign leaders, as well as Gridiron President Dan Balz of the Washington Post. Also seated at the table were Balz’s bosses, Post editor-in-chief Sally Buzbee and the paper’s owner, Jeff Bezos.
The dinner took place at the Grand Hyatt. No photos or television were allowed.
